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US 4,792,903 AGranted
Microprocessor controlled post ejection sequencer
AssigneeUniversal Propulsion Company, Inc.
InventorsWalter R. Peck, James W. Duncan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self contained, self powered microprocessor controlled aircraft ejection seat escape parachute deployment sequencer which can handle problems caused by high altitudes into the stratosphere and by high speeds above Mach 1, and which will deploy the parachute, based on seat mounted pitot tube and ambient pressure readings plus stored data, when speed and altitude are at human physiologically acceptable levels. Many failsafes to cope with unusual conditions, and additional features are also included.
Claims22
In an aircraft ejection seat, the combination comprising:
- a parachute and means carried by the seat to deploy the parachute;
- left and right pitot tubes carried by the seat;
- means carried by the seat to sense ejection of the seat from the aircraft;
- a pair of redundant housings carried by the seat;
- each one of said pair of housings including therein a microprocessor controlled sequencer (MCS);
- each said MCS including means to activate said means to deploy said parachute, pressure sensor means to sense the pressures detected by said left and right pitot tubes and to sense the ambient pressure local to said seat and to produce signals proportional to said three sensed pressures of said pitot tubes and ambient pressures, data storage means, battery means, switch means, and control means;
- each said data storage means including ROM memory means in which data corresponding to preset control functions and system performance have been previously stored, and said data storage means further comprising RAM memory for active use during an escape sequence with the data in said ROM memory together with data produced by said pressure sensor means corresponding to said left and right pitot tube and to the local ambient pressures to continuously optimize operation of an escape sequence as it occurs;
- each of said MCS control means being operative independently of its companion redundant MCS control means to cause said optimum operation and parachute deployment after seat/ejectee ejection from the aircraft when said MCS determines one or both of:
- A. the seat/ejectee mass is moving at a speed equal to or less than a predetermined speed that is safe for parachute deployment at the prevailing altitude and that the altitude of the seat/ejectee mass above sea level is below a predetermined safe altitude;
- and
- B. a time delay has elapsed, which time delay was set by the MCS to the minimum value for safe parachute deployment for a normal ejection based upon the pressure, altitude and airspeed measured by the pressure sensors in the MCS;
- each said MCS including means to make said determinations based upon said three pressure signals, the data stored in said data storage means, the elapsed time of operation of said switch means, and utilizing the electrical power in said battery means;
- and
- each said switch means being operated at the time of ejection of said seat from the aircraft.
11 more elements
A method of operating an aircraft ejection comprising the steps of:
- providing a parachute and means carried by the seat to deploy the parachute;
- providing left and right pitot tubes on the seat;
- providing means to sense ejection of the seat from the aircraft on the seat;
- providing a pair of redundant housings on the seat,
- a microprocessor controlled sequencer (MCS) in each one of said pair of housing;
- providing each said MCS with means to activate said means to deploy said parachute, pressure sensor means to sense the pressures detected by said left and right pitot tubes and to sense the ambient pressure local to said seat, data storage means, battery means, switch means, and control means;
- providing ROM and RAM memory means in each of said data storage means;
- storing predetermined data corresponding to preset control functions and system performance in said data storage means ROM memory;
- using said RAM memory means during an escape sequence together with said data stored in said ROM memory means and data produced by said pressure sensor means corresponding to said left and right pitot tube and to the local ambient pressure to continuously optimize operation of an escape sequence as it occurs;
- producing signals proportional to said three sensed pressures of said pitot tubes and ambient pressures;
- operating at least one of said MCS control means independently of its companion redundant MCS control means to cause said optimum operation and parachute deployment after seat/ejectee ejection from the aircraft when said MCS performs steps to determine that one or both of the following conditions exist:
- A. that the seat/ejectee mass is moving at a speed equal to or less than a predetermined speed that is safe for parachute deployment at the prevailing altitude and that the altitude of the seat/ejectee mass above sea level is below a predetermined safe altitude;
- and
- B. that a time delay has elapsed, which time delay was set by the MCS to the minimum value for safe parachute deployment for a normal ejection based upon the pressure, altitude and airspeed measured by the pressure sensors in the MCS;
- using said MCS to make said determinations based upon said three pressure signals, data stored in said data storage means, the elapsed operation time of said switch means, and utilizing the electrical power in said battery means;
- and
- operating each said switch means at the time of ejection of said seat from said aircraft.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.